Process and apparatus for electrolytic refining



, F. F. POLAND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTIC REFINING Dec. 71926. I 1,609,771

Filed August 11, 1925 l EMF- 1 L L M; I;JDVENTOR L L L L L L BY I LATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES'P'ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK F. POLAND, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLANDQASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SMELTIN GAND REFIN'ING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTIC REFINING.

Application filed August 11, .1925. Serial No. 49,515.

The present invention relates to process of electrodepositing metals andfurther relates to spacers for electrodes by the use of which adjacentelectrodes may be spaced apart at minimum distances thereby attaining asaving in the amount of space necessary to treat a given number ofelectrodes, in the amount of metal necessarily suspended in solution atall times during the process, in the electrio power necessary to carryon electrolysis, and in the cost of operation.

According to the method of my invention means are provided betweenadjacent anode and cathode sheets which will permit said sheets to bemounted close together but which will keep the thin cathode startingsheets from buckling and contacting with the anode and will also preventshort circuiting between the sheets by sprouts or trees and at the sametime will automatically provide for increased thickness of the cathodeby corresponding diminution in thickness of the adjacent anode.

The spacers of my invention may be made of wood or any suitable materialhaving suitable insulating characteristics and may be formed to provideone or more members which extend across an electrode face. They maycomprise a supporting member which may engage the top of the electrodeon which it is mounted. If desired aach supporting member may carry apair of spacing members, one for each side or face of the electrode onwhich it is mounted. Adjacent anodes and cathodes may both carry spacersbut in this case the spacing mem bers may be interspaced with respect toeach other to permit the close positioning of the electrodes.

and novel features of operation and the new and original arrangementsand combina tions of steps in the process hereinafter described and moreparticularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustrationforms of electrode spacers with certain modifications thereof embodyingthe invention, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illnstratin anembodiment of my invention in whic a spacer having a slot extendingwithin a short distance of one end is mounted upon a cathode blank;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of an anode joined by a spacing block.

The invention further consists in the new having mounted thereon pairsof separator strips which extend along both faces of anode and which areheld together by a conngctor-bar which rests on the top of the ano e;Fig. 3 's an elevation view and an end view of t e cathode spacer stripshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4' is a front elevation view and side elevation view of the anodespacer'shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the anode spacer of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is another alternative embodiment.

As shown in Fig. 1 cathode sheetA has the bifurcated spacer 7 mountedthereon either from the top or the bottom of the cathode and serves bothto stiffen the cathode and to separate it from theadjacent electrode.Upon the building up of the cathode to increased thickness the spacersare removed, but if desirable other spacers having greater width betweenthe two elements thereof may be substituted either in the same locationorin diiferent locations with respect to the face of the electrode.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 anode B may have mounted across the facethereof separating strips 7, 7 which are held together by connecting bar8 which rests on the top of the anode. As shown in F ig.,5 the pairs ofseparators 9, 9 can be formed of separate strips Any required number ofpairs may be mounted on the anode as desired.

In Fig. 6 is shown a separator comprising a single longitudinal strip 10having formedat the top thereof a hook 11 for engaging the top of theelectrode.

The material used in the separators of my invention is preferably wood,but other insulating materials can be used, such for example. asaluminum which is oxidized electrolytically in the manner well known in100 the art to form an insulating coating there for. Such a separatorisoarticularly useful because of the small space which it occupies. Theoxide coating on the aluminum is of high insulating value as compared tothe 105 voltages used between electrodes in electrolytic processes.

In the use and practice of my invention the anodes and spacers areutilized to prevent buckling of the thin cathode sheets.

.and thickness of the deposit, the spacers may be shifted in position sothat they will cover in whole or in part the faces of the sheets thathave received deposition of metal and expose previously covered portionsof the sheet to the action of the electrolyte. When the cathode hasbecome sufficiently rigid to prevent warping or buckling, these stripsmay be entirely removed so that the deposition of metal may proceeduniformly over the entire surface of the cathode.

Although I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexedclaims certam novel features of my inventlon, it will be understood thatvarious omissions, substitutions and changes in the several steps of myprocess and in its operation and in the form and details of theapparatus illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit-of the invention. a

I claim i 1. The process of electrodepositing metals which consists inarranging the anodes and cathodes alternately spaced from each other ata distance less than the distance normally measured by theirregularities produced in the starting sheet by the action of theelectrolytic current and interposing spacing means between the anodesand the starting sheet having insulating properties and of sufficientrigidity normally to prevent bucklin of said starting sheet, permittingthe cat lode sheets to build up between said in: sulating means untilthe sheets have acquiredosufiicient rigidity to prevent buckling andthen removing said spacin means.

2. The process of'electrodepositing metals which consists in arrangingthe'anodes and cathodes contiguous to each other and interposinginsulating spacing means between the anodes and the starting sheet,permittin I the cathode sheets to build u between said insulating meansuntil the s eets have ac- 3. In the electrodeposition of metals fromanodes on to thin starting sheets, the method of preventing buckling ofthe sheets and. of reducing the ohmic resistance between the anodes andsheets which consists in providing a plurality of insulating spacersbetween the anodes and sheets and holding the sheets and intermediatespacers securely between successive anodes.

6. In the process of electrodeposition of metals from anodes on to thincathode sheets, the method of preventing buckling of the sheets and ofreducing the ohmic resistance between the anodes and sheets which,consists in providing insulating strips upon the anodes and the sheets,said strips being interspaced to provide a strip near each edge of thesheet and at least one stri intermediate the edges of the sheet and hoding the elec trodes and intermediate strips securely together.

7. In the electrodeposition of metals from anodes on to thin cathodesheets, the method of preventing buckling of the cathode sheets whichconsists in providing insulating spacing members between the anodes andcathode sheets and utilizing successiveanodes to hold the spacers inbuckling preventing position, and removing the spacers after suflicientmetal has been deposited to make the sheets rigid.

8. In combination, in an electrodepositing cell, anodes, thin cathodesheets, and spacing members therebetween, said electrodes being mountedtightly against the s acers whereby the blanks are held against uckling.

9. In combination, in an electrodepositing cell, anodes, thin cathodesheets, and spacing members therebetween, said electrodes being mountedtightly against each other whereby the sheets are held against buckling,and whereby the ohmic resistance between the anodes and-cathodes is at agiven minimum. i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

- FRANK F. POLAND.

